Helping Hand
by impossibleboy1990
Summary: Following the events of "Children of Earth," Jack receives a helping hand from a beautiful stranger.


The bar was crowded with alien species ranging from Silurians and Hath to the Headless Monks and Slitheen.

Captain Jack Harkness sat alone in a dark corner, nursing a Sontaran Acid Pit…an alcoholic concoction that, though sounding unappealing, was doing its job just fine. Its job was to take away the guilt, to make him forget about Owen and Tosh, Ianto and Steven, Gwen….

Tears sprang to his eyes and he inhaled sharply, willing them not to fall. He'd cred over his losses so many times that he couldn't tell if it was just a habit or if he was still grieving. The strength of the Acid Pit suggested that he was still grieving.

He looked up from his drink and saw a woman sitting across the table from him. She was fortyish, with blond curly hair, penetrating blue eyes, an ample bosom, and a seductive smile.

"Hello, sweetie," the woman purred, her eyes glowing.

"I don't have any money, lady. Not that I'm not tempted."

"I'm sorry?" the woman asked, chuckling.

"I don't pay for sex anyway."

"I'm not an escort."

"Sure you're not. Why else would you choose to plop yourself down at my table? I've been coming to this bar for a while now and everyone knows to avoid me. Even the waiters are afraid to come over here," Jack explained.

"A friend sent me," the woman replied.

"A friend, huh?" Jack laughed bitterly. "I don't have any friends."

"Oh, I think you do. He's quite a man."

Jack blinked few times, straightening up. "Wait, you mean….he…..?"

"Mmmmhmmmm."

"Who are you?"

"Professor River Song."

"Cap'n Jack Harkness."

River leaned over the table and brushed her lips against Jack's. He felt a pulse of electricity surge through his body. She was quite a kisser!

"What was that?" he asked, licking his lips.

"That's how I say hello to handsome men," River replied, crossing her legs slowly.

"Okay." He laughed. "Back to business. You're saying the Doctor sent you?"

"Who else?" River quirked an eyebrow.

"How do you know him?"

"Spoilers."

"Care to elaborate?"

Jack wasn't sure if he could trust this crazy woman or not. Sure, she was very sexy and he had needs, but she wasn't really giving him any reason to trust her. Why would a friend of the Doctor's not tell him who they were? Why be enigmatic?

River Song's smile faltered. "It's…complicated," she said slowly.

"How complicated?"

"He doesn't really know me yet. But I know him so well."

"What , are you like a fan girl or something?"

"Hardly. I know him better than anyone."

"Then how doesn't he know you?"

"We meet in the reverse order. The more I know him, the less he knows me."

To prove her point, River pulled a journal out of her purse. It was a replica of the TARDIS. She handed it to Jack who flipped through it.

As he skimmed the pages, he gathered that River and the Doctor had travelled together and that they were very important to each other. He saw illustrations of all of the Doctor's faces. He'd only seen two of the Thirteen faces before him.

He handed the journal back. "Okay, I believe you. So why are you here?"

River cleared her throat. "He sent me here to help you."

"To help me? Help me what? Drink myself into a stupor?"

"To forgive yourself," River said simply.

"Easier said than done."

"I know what you did was terrible, but it had to be done for the greater good. If you hadn't sacrificed your grandson, children all over the world would've been taken by the 456 and murdered. You're a hero, Jack. I know it's hard to reconcile that with the guilt. Trust me, I don't envy you that one bit. But you can't let that stop you from doing what you were destined to do."

"And what exactly am I destined to do?"

"You'll have to find that out for yourself. I'm merely the messenger. But know this: people are safe because of you. You have saved so many people, Jack. Don't forget that."

"I've also done some pretty horrible things."

"Who hasn't? Even the Doctor has done things he's not proud of. It's part of the job."

Jack stiffened his jaw. River did have a point. When you dedicate your life to saving the world, there are bound to be casualties along the way. But that doesn't mean that you have to like or even accept that fact. People were dead because of him.

"The Earth needs you, Jack. The Doctor can't always be there, and Sarah Jane is rather localized. And you are immortal, I mean, what else are you going to do for eternity? Drink away your guilt? The only way to move on is to continue your mission. Save lives, Jack."

"You must be for real," Jack said. "Only a friend of the Doctor's would be so sanctimonious."

River laughed. "He brings out the best and the worst of us."

'That's for sure," Jack agreed. He smiled. "Thank you, River."

"Anytime. It was my pleasure." She winked.

Jack was just about to suggest that they head back to his room for some….therapy when two men dressed in black prison uniforms stepped up. "Time's up, Doctor Song," one barked.

"Damn, already?" River asked sarcastically. She turned back to Jack. "Looks like my train is leaving the station, Jack. Good luck."

"Thank you."

River stood and the guard slapped handcuffs around her wrists. "Tighter. You know I have high pain threshold."

"Wait!" Jack stood up, knocking his chair over. "You're in jail!?"

"Yes. I got temporary leave to come and talk to you."

"Why?"

Darkness flashed over River's face. "Let's just say, I killed the greatest man I've ever known."

"Why?"

"Would you believe me if I said I was born this way?

Before Jack could respond, the guards ushered River to the door. He watched her go, and before disappearing through the threshold, she turned back and blew him a kiss.

Jack blew air out his cheeks. Maybe it was time to visit Earth and check things out. Last time he'd seen Gwen, she'd been severely pregnant. If he was careful, he could visit her without alerting the government to her location. And Martha Jones, it had been ages since he'd seen Martha Jones!

Jack punched some coordinates into the vortex manipulator strapped to his wrist. With a flash of light, he was gone. The bar clientele never even noticed.


End file.
